Fly box



Dec. 23, 1941. w. J. DE WITT FLY BOX Filed Nov. 24, 1939 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 FLY BOX William J. De Witt, Auburn, N. Y., assignor to Shoe Form 00., 1110., Auburn, N. Y., a corporation of vNew'York Application November 24, 1939, Serial No. 305,762

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in fly boxes and more particularly in fly boxes having a plurality of sector-shaped compartments therein and a cover mounted for rotation relative to said compartments which cover includes a hingedly mounted lid that mayby the rotation of the cover be brought into register with any desired compartment to afford access thereinto.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a fly box of this type "in which the cover is freely rotatable about the base and the lid therein is protected so that .it will not be inadvertently raised, while yieldably held closed, will stay fully open until closed, and in which the lid has a central depression which enters the opening so that the under face of the cover is entirely in the same plane.

These and other objects will appear from a consideration of the following description and of the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fly box embodying this invention with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the cover turned to bring the opening therein into register with a compartment and the lid raised to open said opening;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of such fly box in which the position taken by the open lid is indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view illustrating the joinder of the cover and the base of the box;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken transversely of the lid and cover with the opening in the cover in register with a compartment; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 66 in Fig. 1.

The fly box l0 illustrated in the drawing comprises a base 20 and cover 30. The base is cupshaped having a continuous cylindrical wall 2| and a bottom 22 at right angles thereto. Mounted in the base 20 are a plurality of partitions 23 which form, with the wall 2| and bottom 22, sector-shaped compartments 24. In the wall 2| and bottom 22 are formed grooves 25 and 26 respectively which receive side and end edges of the partitions and determine the locations thereof. The base 20 is preferably made of pyroxylin, Celluloid or other moldable material. The partitions are of similar material and may be fixed in place by the use of acetone or other suitable cement. The free edge of the wall 2| is bent outwardly to form a flange 21 substantially in the plane of the outer edges of the partitions 23.

The cover 30 is bounded by a continuous annular bead 3i which as shown in Fig. '4 encloses loosely the flange 2'! on the side wall El, so that the cover is rotatable upon the base. In the cover 33 isformed a sector-shaped opening 32 having substantially the contour of the compartment 24 and normally closed by a lid 33 attached to the cover 30 by a spring-operated leaf hinge 34. The central portion 35 of the lid 33 is depressed so that it enters the opening 32 while the edge 36 rests upon the cover around the opening (see Fig. 5). A tab 3 projecting from the edge 33 rests in a recess 38 in the bead 3| and extends beyond the head, when the lid is closed. A bead 39 in the cover encloses the lid. The portion of the bead across the inner end of the lid is raised to form a stop 40 against which the lid will rest when fully opened (see Fig. 3).

Fly boxes of this type are usually suspended from the coat or sweater of the fisherman. The suspending means shown in the drawing comprise a snaphook 4| connected by a link 42 to a loop 43 carried by the wall 2| of the box.

From the above description it will be noted that the lid 33 is yieldably held in the closing position by a spring and that it is so formed that the center portion 35 enters the opening 32. Consequently the inner surface of the cover is in the same plane and the opening therein does not form a depression. Such a depression is objectionable because as the cover is rotated the flies in the compartments tend to catch in the walls of the depression and become jammed between a partition and the cover and thus prevent the free rotation of the cover. The bead 39 on the cover insures the proper location of the lid and since it projects above the level of the lid (see Figs. 4. and 5) the bead protects the lid from accidental disturbance by any lateral brushing across the lid. This last-mentioned feature is of importance because fly boxes of this type are usually hung at the breast of the wearer and unless the lid is protected there is danger that it might be shifted or opened by branches, bushes or the like and the contents of the compartment or compartments normally closed by the lid, lost through the opening 32.

The overlapping edges of the lid are held against the cover when the lid is closed and thus impede the entry of moisture into the box in case of rain or snow. The spring means employed are preferably of the type here shown which cease to function when the lid is fully raised so that the lid will rest upon the stop 40 and the opening 32 will be entirely clear. Thus the lid can be raised, the flies removed and the lid closed with one hand alone and it is not necessary to use the other hand to hold the lid raised against the tension of the spring.

The cover 30 is also preferably made of Celluv loid, pyroxylin or other moldable material. It is of advantage that the cover and lid at least, if not the other parts, be transparent so that the flies in the various compartments are readily visible. Obviously when a certain fly is desired, the cover 30 is rotated upon the base 20 until the opening 32 therein is in register with the compartment containing the desired fly. The lid 33 is then raised against the urge of the spring of the hinge 34 until the latter no longer acts. The lid then falls by gravity upon the stop 40, the fly is removed from the box, and the lid is raised until the spring acts to swing the lid down and close the opening.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that this invention is not limited thereto and that other embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fly box comprising a base and a cover rotatable thereon, said base having a cylindrical side wall and a bottom at right angles to the side wall and containing a plurality of radial partitions which coact with the side wall and bottom to form a plurality of sector-shaped compartments, the free edge of the side Wall being bent outwardly to form a flange substantially in the plane of the outer edges of the partitions,

said cover being bounded by a continuous annular head which engages loosely the flange on the side wall, and having an opening therein, a lid for closing said opening, the edge of the lid resting on the cover around the opening and the central portion of the lid being depressed into the plane of the cover and entering the opening, and a spring-operated leaf hinge connected to the lid and cover and holding the lid normally in the opening closing position.

2. A fly box comprising a base and a cover rotatable thereon, said base having a cylindrical side wall and a bottom at right angles to the side wall and containing a plurality of radial partitions which coact with the side wall and bottom to form a plurality of sector-shaped compartments, the free edge of the side wall being bent outwardly to form a flange substantially in the plane of the outer edges of the partitions, said cover being bounded by a continuous annular bead which engages loosely the flange on the side wall, and having an opening therein, a lid for closing said opening, the edge of the lid resting on the cover around the opening and the central portion of the lid being depressed into the plane of the cover and entering the opening, a spring-operated leaf hinge connecting said lid and cover and holding the lid normally in the opening closing position, and a bead in the cover substantially surrounding the lid and hinge whereby the lid is protected from inadvertent opening by lateral brushing across the cover.

WILLIAM J. DE WITT. 

